Greenland's Glaciers Seem to Be Melting Much, Much Faster Than We Thought

The current predictions of ice melt are not realistic. According to an updated model, glaciers in the north could be moving up to 100 times faster than previously thought.

Ice melt predictions have been revised before. The simulations of how glaciers interact with the rest of the climate system don't match up with reality.

Our models must either be missing or incorrect. What do you think?

At least part of the problem has been figured out by scientists at the University of Texas at Austin.

Climate scientists have been using observations from glaciers to build models of how glaciers melt.

What's happening to the ice sheet is vastly different from what's happening to the glaciers in the north.

Recent observational research has shown that warm ocean water in the nation's fjords is carving away at parts of the floating ice sheet.

It's not easy to measure submarine melting, especially when you consider how close the research vessels are to the ice.

Scientists used the data from the study of Antarctica's more accessible 'glacier tongues' as a proxy for the northern part of the planet. They are not identical twins.

Future climate models need to be able to discern the different ways glaciers interact with water.

The underlying physics behind ice melt was analyzed by researchers working on floating glacier fronts. The team used kayaks to get as close to the formidable structures as possible, taking precise measurements right where the ice meets the sea.

As far away as 400 meters (1,300 feet) from the ice wall, meltwater was measured, which indicated that more ice was melting than previously thought.

A better model of glacier melt in other parts of the northern hemisphere has been created by using the more accurate measurement.

"For years, people took the melt rate model forAntarctic floating glaciers and applied it to Greenland's vertical glacier fronts."

It was the best we were able to do. Who knew if it was correct or incorrect? There is more and more evidence that the traditional approach doesn't work at the vertical glacier fronts.

The shape of glaciers and the temperature of surrounding waters are used to estimate how much submarine ice loss occurs. Computer-based climate models can't resolve regional differences on the ground.

When glaciers dip their fingers and toes into the sea, they become vulnerable to underwater melt.

Bathed in deep warm waters, they gradually melt away at a weak background rate.

Researchers think that submarine melt is worse in the northern part of the planet than it is in the southern part.

"Melting by deep, warm waters increases undercutting of glacier termini, which in turn leads to a dynamic mass loss that adds to sea level rise," they write.

Sea levels will rise by more than 7 meters in a dire future scenario, and studies show that 1 foot of sea level rise is locked in.

Some scientists think that the point of recovery for the ice sheet has been reached, while others think it will be gone by the year 2035.

Half a trillion pounds of ice were lost in the year 2019.

Antarctica is losing ice mass at an average rate.

The effects of glacier loss are felt all around the world.

Major ocean currents that help cool our planet's equator could be halted when the ice in the ocean begins to melt.

The ice sheet is melting and releasing unknownbacteria into the world.

Ocean climate model results are relevant to predict trends associated with climate change so you want to get them right.

We can't prepare if we don't know what's happening.

There was a study published.